PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Xiang Zeng
AU  - Xijin Xu
AU  - H. Marike Boezen
AU  - Judith M. Vonk
AU  - Xinye Zhou
AU  - Fangfang Lu
AU  - Xia Huo
TI  - Lung function and respiratory symptoms in children from an electronic waste recycling area in China
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA4508
DP  - 2015 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - PA4508
VI  - 46
IP  - suppl 59
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA4508.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA4508.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2015 Sep 01; 46
AB  - Background: Informal, non-regulated recycling or disposal of e-waste in at family workshop in China results in serious environmental pollution, which has adverse effects on human health.Objective: This study aims to explore differences in lung function, asthma, and respiratory symptoms between children living in Guiyu (an e-waste recycling area), Haojiang and Xiashan (the reference areas).Methods: We analyzed association between living area and forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), asthma, and respiratory symptoms in 206 children from three kindergartens using linear and logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, and height.Results: FVC and FEV1 of children from Guiyu was lower than those from Haojiang and Xiashan (p<0.01). After adjustment, children from Guiyu had a borderline significant lower FVC and FEV1 than those from Haojiang (B (95% CI (confidence interval), p), 0.06 (-0.02∼0.14), 0.13; 0.07 (-0.01∼0.14), 0.07) and Xiashan (0.07 (-0.01∼0.14), 0.07; 0.05 (-0.01∼0.12), 0.12). Although children living in Guiyu had odds ratios (OR) higher than 1 when compared to those residing in Haojiang and Xiashan, there was no significant association between living area and asthma (OR (95% CI), 1.76 (0.29∼10.90)) and respiratory symptoms (cough 3.79 (0.74∼19.44)), phlegm (1.25 (0.24∼6.60)), dyspnea (1.96 (0.12∼33.31)), wheeze (1.31 (0.28∼6.14)), chronic bronchitis (1.10 (0.46∼2.63)).Conclusions: Children living in the e-waste recycling area had a lower lung function, and the association between living area and asthma and respiratory symptoms needs further exploration in a larger population.